


red(die) string of fate

by anxiousdraco



Series: Reddie Soulmate Fics [2]
Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Musician!Reddie, Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2020-06-28 13:12:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19812994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiousdraco/pseuds/anxiousdraco
Summary: richie and eddie are tied together by their string of fate. eddie can't see them, and richie wants nothing more than to let eddie know they're meant for each other. inspired by dragon heartstrings by jet_playin.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is chapter one, currently in the process of chapter two. i have beta'd this myself several times so hopefully there are no mistakes, but absolutely no promises, lmao. sidenote: i'm american but have a habit of spelling 'realizes' with an s so just ignore that lmfao

Richie stared at the sky, waving his hand back and forth lazily. The stars illuminated his string as the clouds moved quickly by, and Richie felt like sleeping. The ground was hard and damp but Richie was so exhausted from playing bass all day that he felt he could sleep anywhere. The problem with playing bass was that Richie's string is attached to his left pinky, and he changes frets with his left hand. So nine times out of ten, Richie can't fucking concentrate on his playing because his string stands out bright red, angry and ever present.

And when Richie wasn't playing bass and was instead just singing, he seemed to have a habit of gripping the mic with his left hand. Not to mention Eddie standing off to the side lip-syncing, body swaying to the music, eyes wide and happy. And every time Richie looked over, there it was. His string, leading all the way up to Eddie's ring finger. How fitting. Richie did intend to marry Eddie one day, once Eddie realised they were soulmates. But for now Richie had to just... settle.

No one else could see the strings, as far as he knew. Went and Maggie gave him an odd look when Richie brought it up as a kid, and Richie knew then and there not to mention it again.  
Until he met Bev.

;;

"Richie, what the fuck are you staring at?" Bev had been trying to get Richie's attention for what felt like ten minutes but had most likely been thirty seconds.

Richie jumped back into reality. "Oh, uh, nothing."

Bev eyed her best friend. "Are you sure?"

A nod was all she received. Bev followed Richie's stare and realised it perfectly aligned with her string tied to her ankle.

They were sitting cross-legged in the grass, knees touching. Bev's string was attached to the ankle closest to Richie, but she didn't know anyone else who could see the strings. Richie could be dissociating, but she looked at her best friend once more, and followed his stare back to her ankle.

"Richie...are you looking at my string?" Bev asked, hesitant.

Then she heard Richie audibly choke. "Your string? You can see the strings?"

A laugh left Bev, light and happy. "Yes! You can see them too?"

"Yeah! I didn't know anyone else could see them." Richie’s smile was bright and beaming.

"I don't know of anyone else either.” Bev shifted, asking the question she knew the answer to. “Do you know who yours is attached to?"

Richie looked at the grass, letting out a soft sigh. "You already know who it's attached to, Bev."

She hugged her best friend. "I figured, but I didn't want to assume. Have you told him?"

"Christ, no! He's too hung up on Bill; I don't want to scare him off. Maybe after he's over Bill I'll try to talk to him. But until then I'm fine just waiting. After all, we're, quote unquote ‘destined’ to be together, aren't we?"

Bev smiled in response. Destiny was an odd thing.

"Well, here's a secret. Mine changed people. I was attached to Bill, but when I realised I was gay it detached from Bill and is now leading elsewhere. I don't think my soulmate lives in Derry." Bev laid back on the grass, sunglasses shielding her eyes from the sun, but still squinting at Richie.

"I didn't know that was possible.” Richie laid back with her, “My string has been attached to Eddie since, God, probably childhood. I used to draw pictures of us together with the red string but I realised how creepy that would look to someone who doesn't see the strings, so I threw 'em out." Richie took a deep breath. "I'm just hoping Eddie realises that I'm meant for him. I mean, I'm not going to lie and say that seeing him and Bill together didn't hurt, because it definitely did. But it hurts even more to see Eddie upset now that Bill and Stan are together."

"Richie, you're the sweetest," Bev kissed his cheek, "Eddie will come around eventually. I promise."

The two friends were so enveloped in their conversation that they didn't hear Eddie approach.

"I'll come around to what?" Eddie asked, sitting next to Bev. "Hi, by the way."

Richie shot up. "Oh, shit, hey Eddie Sketti. How was piano practice?" Bev and Richie exchanged a glance, wordlessly questioning when Eddie had shown up.

“It was okay. My wrists still kind of hurt when I play but it’s because I have limp wrists. What were you guys talkin’ about?” Eddie smiled and laid down next to Bev, leading Richie to relax enough to lay back down as well.

“Just stuff. You guys wanna go see a movie?” Richie dodged the subject once again.

Bev stood up, leaving the two boys laying down with ample space between them. “Sorry, dweebs, but I gotta get home. I’ll text you later!” And with that, Bev left.

“Okay, well, Eds, do you wanna see a movie?” Richie looked over at his soulmate, seeing their string move with each twitch of Eddie’s nervous fingers.

Why is he nervous?

“I don’t know, Richie. The only thing playing is that new Pet Sematary movie and that’s too scary for me.”

Richie laughed, “Aw, Eds, I’ll keep you safe from the zombie kitty.”

Eddie punched Richie’s arm and Richie watched their string flutter between them. 

If Eddie could see the strings he would never be able to practice piano, he’d be so distracted all the time.

“Sorry, Chee, I’d rather do something else. Hey, do you have any sheet music for me?”

A couple of weeks ago Richie had promised Eddie he’d print out some easy sheet music for Eddie to practice piano with, but Richie could only play gross, sappy love songs and felt that wouldn’t be a good thing to practice with. “Shit, I forgot. Sorry, Spaghetti.”

“Richie, stop calling me everything but my name, Jesus.”

“Sorry, Mister Jesus Christ sir, I’ll refrain.”

This got him another arm punch.

Richie stood up and held out his hand for Eddie to take, “If you don’t mind my dirty room we can find some sheet music for ya.”

“Sounds good.” Eddie grabbed Richie’s hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. They walked quietly back to Richie’s house, which was only a few blocks but felt like forever.

“Hey, Rich? Why do you always have your hands in your pockets? Like even when you’re not wearing a jacket you have ‘em in your pants pockets,” Eddie poked Richie’s hands through his hoodie’s pocket.

Shocked, Richie stopped walking. “Uh, I don’t like my hands.” Jesus, Richie, that’s all you can come up with?

Eddie gave Richie a look. “Ha ha, very funny. Seriously. You have nice hands, not to mention you have piano fingers.”

“Piano fingers?” Richie laughed, but kept his hands in his pockets, “Are you saying my fingers are pale enough to look like piano keys? Is it because I paint my nails black? Very funny, Eds, very funny.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. He knew his best friend was deflecting but he assumed he had a good reason for it, so he didn’t push. “Yes, that’s exactly what that means, Richard.”

Now it was Richie’s turn to roll his eyes. “Don’t fuckin’ call me that.”

“Sorry.”

They had finally reached Richie’s house, and Went’s car wasn’t in the driveway, meaning they had the house to themselves for the evening.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Richie and Eddie attempt to watch a movie, and Richie thinks about his soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long I’m a horrible person yeehaw!! Also I know this update isn't long but I've been stuck on this for awhile and decided I should at least upload what I have written lol. Also I am writing SM fics on twitter @ TRSHMTH69

Richie went to open the door before realising it was locked. He felt around his pockets for his keys and sighed. “Well, Eds, looks like we gotta break in.”

“Richie, your keys are around your neck on your lanyard,” Eddie poked the keys, making them jingle slightly.

Another reason Richie kept Eddie around -- other than the soulmate thing, of course -- was because Richie would probably fall apart without him. Including breaking several bones trying to break into his house only to realise once inside that his keys were, in fact, around his neck.

“Eddie Spaghetti, you keep me sane.”

Eddie laughed at that, a bright and happy sound, which caused Richie to smile in return.

However, Richie’s heartbeat was nearing heart-attack rates when Eddie lifted his lanyard from around Richie’s neck and opened the front door.

Richie accidentally started daydreaming about Eddie opening their future apartment’s door, Richie still worrying about his string getting caught in the door even though he knows full well the strings aren’t corporeal, Eddie smiling and calling Richie’s name to bring him back to the present, just like he’s doing now...Oh, Eddie’s calling his name.

“Richie! Get inside, it’s starting to rain.”

“Oh shit, sorry. You know how my ADHD hell brain gets,” Richie walked in and kissed Eddie’s cheek absentmindedly, still lost in his daydream.

Eddie went stiff as a board and Richie realised what he had done. “Fuck, Eds, sorry. I, uh--”

“Richie, you’re dating Bev, man. You can’t do that!” Eddie started walking away, until he heard Richie laughing. He turned on his heel to see Richie bent over, nearly choking from laughing so hard. “What the fuck, this isn’t funny!”

“Eddie, holy shit, man. I’m not dating Bev!” Richie walked over to Eddie and put a hand on his shoulder. “Bev is my best friend other than you and you guys are before the other Losers. I wouldn’t date Bev anyway, jeez,” Richie was still laughing every few seconds, all while wiping tears from his eyes.

Eddie was just staring at Richie. He heard the second half of the story but all he could focus on was one thing: Richie didn’t use a nickname for him in that sentence. For some reason, that made Eddie feel weird. Yeah, Eddie claims he hates the nicknames but deep down he loved them. They made him feel special. And yeah, Richie had nicknames for all the Losers, but Richie always used a nickname for Eddie, and only sometimes used them for the others. 

“Did you just call me Eddie?”

Richie was still wiping at his eyes a bit, “Yeah, I guess. Why is that the thing you focused on?”

“Well,” Eddie started, before sitting on the couch in the living room, “I guess I’m just so used to you calling me Eds or Eddie Spaghetti or what have you that I was taken aback. Anyway, Richie, you’re dating Bev.” Eddie sighed into a pillow.

“Edward.”

“Oh gross, don’t fuckin’ call me that. What?”

Richie sat down next to his best friend, close but still with enough space to not freak him out. “I’m not dating Bev. I’m single as a damn pringle, and she’s not even into men.”

“Beverly’s gay?!”

Richie side hugged Eddie. “Don’t act so surprised, but yes. She told me I was allowed to tell you but I never really thought it was of much importance. Anyway yes, she’s gay, I’m single, and I’m sorry that I kissed you by accident. Can we watch Netflix now?” Richie laid his head on Eddie’s shoulder after grabbing the remote off the floor. “I’m in the mood for some Bo Burnham, yeah?”

Richie could feel Eddie relax back into the sofa, and Richie did the same. “Yeah, Bo sounds good.”

When they were about halfway through Make Happy, Richie heard a light snore from beside him. Of course Eddie fell asleep.

Nine times out of ten he falls asleep during movies, marathons, reading, in school. Richie now realised that probably meant Eddie wasn’t sleeping enough at home, and made a mental note to bring it up later. Eddie looked so peaceful when he was sleeping, but if Richie were to ever say that to him, Eddie would probably quip back “Yeah, because you’re not bothering me for once!” to which Richie would smack his arm, softly, and Eddie would blush and look away. Richie got lost in all those ‘what ifs’ and ‘could bes’ so frequently, he could probably have a whole lifetime played out in them. 

Richie wants Eddie to love him back more than anything, but dreams are dreams and just because they have their red string doesn’t necessarily mean that they will end up together. Maggie and Went don’t have strings at all. Richie thought maybe he couldn’t see their strings since they’re his parents but he still feels cold whenever he remembers they have no strings. Maggie and Went certainly didn’t belong together but were they truly meant to be alone? The prospect of being alone in life was absolutely terrifying to Richie, the thought of existing without his friends or Eddie made him feel empty and numb. Where would he even be without the Losers? Even the newest members, Ben and Mike, have helped Richie in a million ways. 

Eddie grumbled in his sleep, pulling Richie from his thoughts. He nudged Eds lightly, “You alright there, Spaghetti Man?”

“‘M tired, hush,” was all Richie got in response. Richie just smiled back and let his friend rest. His soulmate rest. 

Richie wanted to get into the habit of being more positive about this situation. Even though he was terrified of the prospect of Eddie rejecting him, he knew deep, deep down that they were really meant to be. And Richie would go to the ends of the earth to prove it.

He let Eddie get some rest, as it seemed he definitely needed it. Eddie seemed to grumble quite a bit in his sleep, but Richie figured it was because he was on a couch and not on an actual bed. 

Richie decided to pick Eds up and take him to Richie’s room so he could get some proper rest. As Richie picked him up, he shuffled a bit in Richie’s arms. “Thank you,” he let out, softly. 

“Of course, Eds.”

Richie walked softly and slowly up his stairs and pushed his door open with his back. He set Eddie down on his bed and tucked him in, and as he went to move to sit at his desk and actually do some work, Eds grabbed his wrist. “Cuddle,” was all he said.

“You sure? You need to get some sleep.”

“Yes, come here,” Eddie said softly. Richie happily obliged. He tucked himself behind Eddie (he was almost always the big spoon when they cuddled) and closed his eyes. As he was about to drift off, he heard Eddie say something, something soft and emotional, but Richie heard it. “Love you, Rich.”

Richie figured it was a figment of his sleepy imagination. But he pulled Eddie closer anyway.


End file.
